The present invention relates to a yarn formed of shaped hollow filaments produced from synthetic fiber-forming compositions.
The textile industry has long been interested in hollow filaments because of the special attributes of such fiber and the several novel effects which may be obtained with them. It is well recognized that hollow filaments have certain advantages over solid filaments having the same outer diameters. Some of the advantages which hollow filaments have over solid filaments include: improved installation properties, increased buoyancy, reduced pilling, special optical effects, and greater covering power per unit weight. Hollow filaments also have less tendency to fibrillate under flexing conditions than corresponding solid filaments.
In the tire industry, reinforcing cord made of hollow filaments has been found to extend the flex-life of rubber tires by imparting a tire fatigue resistance property thereto. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,160,193 to Baggett et al., hereby incorporated by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 3,389,548 to Lachaussee et al., hereby incorporated by reference, uses hollow man-made filaments in the production of cordage products suitable for use as binding twine wherein improvements in knotted strength, dynanometric characteristics and resistance to weathering and water are noted. Other patents on the use of hollow man-made filaments are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,999,296 to Breen et al., 3,630,824 to Rohlig, 4,129,675 to Scott, 4,251,588 to Goetemann et al. and 4,279,053 to Payne et al., all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Yarn of the present invention exhibits very high strength translational efficiency.